Cranbourne horseman Robbie Laing is hoping his always honest galloper Lord Of The Sky can get an elite level on the board finally in Saturday’s 2018 CF Orr Stakes after a gun trial on Monday.
Lord Of The Sky chases a Group 1 win in Saturday’s Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes 2018 before retirement. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
A seven-year-old son of Danerich, the veteran caught the eye yesterday at Cranbourne winning his 800m heat with Damien Oliver aboard by two and a half lengths in a slick time of 45.72 seconds.
The winning hit-out was exactly what Laing was needing to see from the old warhorse ahead of the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on the weekend.
“He’s run 45.7 in second gear and he probably would’ve broken 45 [seconds] if we’d let him go,” Laing told Racing Victoria on Monday.
“The idea of today’s trial was just to have a nice hit-out ahead of the C.F. Orr.
“Ollie [Damien Oliver] let him run for an extra 100m past the winning post and he had a blow afterwards which is typical of him.”
Lightly-raced for his age, Lord Of The Sky will be saddled-up for his 30th career start on Saturday in the weight-for-age feature that kicks off Group 1 racing this autumn.
A six-time winner from 14 runs at the Caulfield track, the CF Orr Stakes will be the horse’s first start there since crossing under three lengths back sixth to Supido first-up back in July last year off a 12 month break.
Lord Of The Sky was originally sent out to retire, but was brought back last winter and from his four runs since enjoyed a New Year’s Day victory at Flemington last month in the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m).
His final run ahead of the CF Orr Stakes was a sixth to Rock ‘N’ Gold at Flemington on January 20 in the Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m), the front-runner tiring late after doing too much early work to chase the lead with Amber Sky.
Laing remains confident that Lord Of The Sky can prove competitive in the CF Orr Stakes from up front again, especially if he gets things his way in the lead.
“If there’s no real pace in the Orr, he’ll be in it for a long way,” he said.
“He’s in really good form, apart from the Kensington Stakes where he and Amber Sky ran 10.5 [seconds] between the 800m and the 600m.
“We’re only talking about tenths of seconds but his cruising speed is about 10.7 and when he goes quicker than that it just bottoms him out.”
Lord Of The Sky has contested five previous Group 1 races with his best result being a second to Chautauqua in the 2015 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick and a second to Flamberge later that year in The Goodwood at Morphettville.
Retirement calls again at the end of the season with Laing confirming Lord Of The Sky would begin his career as a stallion at Kingstar Farm in the Hunter Valley.
All-in CF Orr Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au lists Lord Of The Sky as a $34 roughie to become the first seven-year-old winner of the race since Torbek (1983).
Check out the latest CF Orr Stakes odds ahead of Wednesday’s final acceptances now through race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.
